Another blow to hit ANS was when the lease of the school site was terminated. Defending in court for years allowed enough time for Mr. Chitra Dansuputra to find a new location and investment to rebuild the school. In 1953 students marched on the street again. This time to mark the new settlement at the present site located on the field of Phaya Thai.
Having experienced three crises which almost brought ANS to an end, Mr. Chitra Dansuputra made the gracious decision that would secure the future of ANS. He founded the Amnuay Silpa Foundation (ANSF) and donated his ownership of the school to the Foundation in 1960. He explained his intention as "Every success of our students is the profit we make".
Being under the Foundation, surpluses from the school and donations are set as provisional sources of funds to sustain the School in crisis and support the development of the school and its education. Apart from funding the development of school facilities and professional development for teachers, ANSF offers scholarships to ANS students. Amnuay Silpa Foundation Board takes the role of the Board of Directors, supporting and guiding ANS to ensure that ANS strives through changes and continues to play a leading role in educating successful global citizens.
Amnuay Silpa was established in 1926 as a tutorial school for Mattayom 4-6 (Year 11-13) students, operated only in the afternoons and evenings to prepare them for upper secondary education. Founding members consisted of renowned teachers from the prestigious Suan Kularb School.
After three years, the registered School Licensee and Principal, Mr. Sanit Sumawong, decided to leave the teaching profession. Mr. Chitra Dansuputra, one of the founding members stepped in to take over the operations. He re-established Amnuay Silpa as a day school for boys aged 6-18. The school was relocated to a new spacious site by the Chao Phraya river. Mr. Chitra Dansuputra became the Licensee, School Manager and Principal of the day school. The most prominent teachers recruited by Mr. Chitra Dansuputra himself included Mr. Prapat Wattanasarn and Mr. Pa Chaidej who both became renowned Principals for two long periods in the history of the school and Mr. Beaumont, the first native English teacher who later created 16 text books for Amnuay Silpa publishing house.
By the end of the first year, ANS students made the headlines of Bangkok newspapers as many of Mattayom 6 students passed the national examination with rankings in the top fifty. Two students achieved the first and the third highest scores. The school grew to the size of 2,000 students and became one of the biggest schools in Thailand. In 1939 the whole school celebrated a grand victory at the inter-school sports competition. The victory was adorned by dramatic cheering and marching bands along the streets of Bangkok followed by a grand evening celebration presided by the regent of King Rama 8.
The glorious days were interrupted by WWII. The school underwent a semi permanent closure during 1942 to 1945. In the tribulation of the war, Mrs. Erb Dansuputra, wife of Mr. Chitra Dansuputra provided crucial support to retain teachers by providing safe accommodation, continuing to pay partial salaries and offering her own property to teachers to operate a tutorial school throughout the war time. Hence ANS managed to return to full operations once the war ended.
Another blow to hit ANS was when the lease of the school site was terminated. Defending in court for years allowed enough time for Mr. Chitra Dansuputra to find a new location and investment to rebuild the school. In 1953 students marched on the street again. This time to mark the new settlement at the present site located on the field of Phaya Thai.
Having experienced three crises which almost brought ANS to an end, Mr. Chitra Dansuputra made the gracious decision that would secure the future of ANS. He founded the Amnuay Silpa Foundation (ANSF) and donated his ownership of the school to the Foundation in 1960. He explained his intention as "Every success of our students is the profit we make".
Being under the Foundation, surpluses from the school and donations are set as provisional sources of funds to sustain the School in crisis and support the development of the school and its education. Apart from funding the development of school facilities and professional development for teachers, ANSF offers scholarships to ANS students. Amnuay Silpa Foundation Board takes the role of the Board of Directors, supporting and guiding ANS to ensure that ANS strives through changes and continues to play a leading role in educating successful global citizens.
